Longtime Chicago Bears President Ted Phillips plans to retire after the 2022 NFL season, according to the team.
Phillips, 65, has been with the team for 39 years, 23 years as the team's president. He joined the Bears staff on Sept. 28, 1983, as the team's Controller, a position he held for four years before moving to the Director of Finance from 1987-93.
“I have been truly blessed with the honor of working for the Chicago Bears for 40 seasons and look forward to leading the team through the 2022 season," Phillips said in an announcement from the team. "I appreciate the support of the McCaskey family and to be involved in overseeing this amazing growth of the Chicago Bears through the years, is a dream come true,” said Phillips. “Every day has been a true pleasure and being surrounded by so many talented and wonderful people has made my job richly rewarding on many levels. I will always bleed blue and orange and forever be proud to be a part of the Chicago Bears family.”
Chairman George McCaskey had conversations with Phillips on the subject after Phillips mentioned the idea last fall. After a series of ongoing discussions, he finally made the call, according to Dan Pompei of The Athletic.
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The search for a new president has already begun and will be announced "in the coming months," according to the team. The organization has not released any names who could replace the seat. McCaskey, Phillips and Tanesha Wade, senior vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion, have been in discussions with the search firm Nolan Partners, according to the report.
Phillips' main project is surrounded around the construction of the new stadium in Arlington Heights. The team is holding an informational meeting about the stadium next Thursday, Sept. 8 at John Hersey High School.
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It's uncertain whether Phillips will remain on the subject past his retirement in February. The hope was to close on the land by the time he retires, but that remains uncertain too. It's possible Phillips is retained as a consultant to remain on the project.
“It’s difficult to put into words how much Ted has meant to the Bears and our family," said Bears Chairman George H. McCaskey. "The faith that Virginia and Ed McCaskey placed in him by naming him President and CEO of the Bears has been rewarded many times over. He’s the best boss I ever had, and when I became his boss, he handled it graciously, as he has so many other situations. He is held in high regard by his peers around the league, and deservedly so. We are lucky to have had him here as long as we did.”